The Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Prof. Seidu Al-hassan, will hit the mandatory retirement age of 60 years on Friday, 26 June 2026.
He is expected to step down on that date and hand over to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elliot Haruna Alhassan.
But the Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Alhaji Abdullah Salifu, is campaigning for him to remain in office for an extra two months after June 26.
On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, the chairman wrote a letter to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, through the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai.
In it, he explained that Prof. Al-hassan’s appointment as vice-chancellor began on September 1, 2022, and that his four-year tenure, as stated in the letter of appointment, was due to end on August 31, 2026.
He told the education minister in the letter that the vice-chancellor would enter his 60th year in June and, although he would be due to retire that month, he would still have two months left to exhaust or finish his four-year tenure in August.
The chairman concluded the letter by begging the minister to grant the vice-chancellor approval to stay in office after turning 60 years for two extra months, running from June 26, 2026, to August 31, 2026.
Then, he added: “This extension will ensure continuity and a smooth transition of leadership, while also allowing the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure to conclude at the end of the 2025/2026 academic year.”
The position of the Ministry of Education
Before the council chairman wrote and dispatched that letter from Tamale to Accra, the Ministry of Education had responded unfavourably to a similar letter it received from the Secretariat of Vice Chancellors, Ghana (VCG) in 2025.
The VCG, writing on August 12, 2025, had proposed that vice-chancellors be allowed to remain in office, even after attaining the statutory retirement age, if they had not completed their tenures before reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Writing on behalf of the education minister, the ministry’s Chief Director, Lydia Essuah, replied that the minister, after undertaking due review of constitutional and policy provisions, was unable to approve the request.
“The decision is based on the position that the retirement of Vice-Chancellors does not constitute an exigency of service warranting an extension or rollover beyond the compulsory retirement age.
“Furthermore, existing statutes of public universities provide adequate mechanisms for acting and transitional arrangements to ensure continuity in leadership and academic administration,” she told the VCG.
She added: “Accordingly, universities are encouraged to strengthen succession planning and leadership development to facilitate smooth transitions without disruption to academic or administrative activities.”
Two months, too many
On Monday, 9 February 2026, the GTEC Director-General, who himself is facing mounting pressure from some public universities’ staff to resign, replied to the letter from the chairman of the UDS’ governing council.
The reply was identical to the response the vice-chancellors association got from the chief director of the education ministry.
“Reference is made to your letter dated 13th January, 2026, on the above subject. We regret to inform you that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is unable to recommend your request of two (2) months stay in office post the compulsory retirement age of Professor Seidu Alhassan to the Honourable Minister of Education, nor is it able to approve the same.
“Sir, this decision is based on the fact that the University for Development Studies (UDS), has already initiated the process for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor to replace Professor Seidu Alhassan. The Commission expects that this process will be completed on or before the statutory retirement age of the current Vice-Chancellor,” the Director-General stated.
He further told the chairman what to do if the search for another vice-chancellor was not completed before Prof. Al-hassan’s retirement was due.
“In the event that the appointment process is not concluded by 26th June, 2026, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University, in accordance with the University Statutes, will assume responsibility until the process is completed.
“Chairman, we trust that the above explanation adequately addresses your concerns regarding any potential leadership vacuum upon the attainment of the compulsory retirement age of Professor Seidu Alhassan. We count on your usual cooperation,” he maintained.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana/West Africa
